Name: Public Auction Yards livestock auction prices — 2019-11-13
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2019-11-13

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, weak to lower undertones were noticed on all classes of feeder calves. Yearling heifers offered the best comparisons to last week, these offerings sold 2.00-4.00 higher. Quality was mostly plain today and offered in small packages or as singles. Rain and snow fell yesterday causing muddy pen conditions. Many calves showed signs of stress as a result of the weather. Demand for all feeder cattle was light for light offerings. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Over 2,000 head of cows were on offer this sale. Slaughter cows sold on mostly moderate demand. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher this week. Packers opted to send some better quality cows to harvest this week and feed most of the sound, thin cows. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower. High quality, heavy muscled, large framed cows sold fully steady this week as both feeders and packers showed good demand for these offerings. The weak spot in the sale was thin or average quality cows which feeders and packers are both purchasing for short term feeding programs. With so many cows on offer trucking became an issue today as feeding buyers were not willing to purchase excess loads with no trucks available to move the cows. Additionally, fewer thin cow buyers were actively participating in the market this week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this sale. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to re-breed sold mostly 4.00-8.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $138.43/cwt on 204 head.

Average price

$138.43

204 head · 651 lb average

Value per head Derived

$901

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$682

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Large 1

$15.05/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.89

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	435	143.00	622	4thin
Medium and Large 1	646	139.09	899	173
Medium 1	597	136.18	813	11thin
Medium and Large 1-2	605	134.67	815	9thin
Large 1	1,019	127.95	1,304	7thin

One grade step is worth $15.05/cwt here — about −$682 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale204 hd

138.43

—

MT average5 barns · 4,655 hd

144.32

−5.89

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,896	72.57	1,376	35
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,749	66.07	1,156	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,459	52.85	771	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,202	47.09	566	150

Every lot, as filed

62 lots · USDA AMS · Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Wed)

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	550	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	743	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	840	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	1,117	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	488	135.50/cwt	135.50–135.50	661	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	435	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	622	4
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	573	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	831	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	705	136.00/cwt	136.00–136.00	959	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	827	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,158	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	985	71.74/cwt	64.00–80.00	707	72
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	357	186.00/cwt	186.00–186.00	664	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	559	149.30/cwt	147.00–153.00	835	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	619	143.81/cwt	142.00–146.00	890	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	487	154.91/cwt	154.00–155.00	754	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	675	144.11/cwt	139.00–147.00	973	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	542	149.00/cwt	149.00–149.00	808	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	416	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	670	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	546	127.00/cwt	127.00–127.00	693	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,083	66.49/cwt	60.00–71.00	720	70
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,372	62.75/cwt	54.00–69.00	861	78
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,179	46.33/cwt	44.00–50.50	546	101
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,263	50.06/cwt	45.00–52.00	632	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,060	55.36/cwt	54.00–57.00	587	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,142	53.21/cwt	49.00–55.00	608	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	522	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	705	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	329	170.78/cwt	165.00–172.00	562	12
Heifers	Medium 1	—	738	142.00/cwt	142.00–142.00	1,048	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	436	148.50/cwt	148.50–148.50	647	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	640	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	902	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	481	151.69/cwt	148.00–154.00	730	9
Heifers	Large 1	—	1,019	127.95/cwt	121.00–131.00	1,304	7
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	544	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	729	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	892	139.51/cwt	137.00–140.00	1,244	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,444	49.66/cwt	45.50–53.00	717	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,593	61.80/cwt	59.50–64.00	984	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	954	38.62/cwt	37.00–42.00	368	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	44.87/cwt	42.00–50.50	532	90
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,260	54.65/cwt	52.00–55.50	689	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,212	37.28/cwt	33.00–41.00	452	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,245	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	1,280	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,050	69.50/cwt	69.50–69.50	1,425	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,662	67.50/cwt	64.00–68.50	1,122	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,740	70.50/cwt	70.50–70.50	1,227	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,724	59.72/cwt	58.00–60.50	1,030	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,462	55.10/cwt	53.00–59.00	806	26
Bulls	—	—	1,932	76.20/cwt	72.50–82.00	1,472	14
Bulls	—	—	2,032	84.26/cwt	82.50–88.00	1,712	5
Bulls	—	—	1,822	65.75/cwt	51.00–71.00	1,198	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,307	56.29/cwt	51.00–67.00	736	195
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,283	52.80/cwt	50.00–61.00	677	137
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,262	697.85/cwt	675.00–750.00	8,807	41
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,140	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	11,685	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,050	1,059.81/cwt	1,025.00–1,075.00	11,128	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	586	139.40/cwt	135.00–142.00	817	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	785	142.50/cwt	142.50–142.50	1,119	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	714	143.00/cwt	143.00–143.00	1,021	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	460	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	676	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	590	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	797	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	545	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	807	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	604	129.67/cwt	127.00–131.00	783	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	463	142.60/cwt	140.00–146.50	660	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	983	130.21/cwt	130.00–133.00	1,280	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	933	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	1,278	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,064	124.75/cwt	124.75–124.75	1,327	10

How this sale compares

Montana weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →